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So, is the DROID a good smartphone? Yes, the DROID is an excellent smartphone with many (if not all) of the features that a modern user would expect, and if you're a Verizon customer, there probably isn't a more action packed device on the network. That's not to say the device doesn't have its faults; the camera was unpleasant to use, the application selection feels thin in both quantity and quality (despite the claim of 10,000 options), and the phone has bits of basic, non-intuitive functionality that might chafe on some users after a while. But even still, it's hard not to recommend the DROID to potential buyers eager to do more with their devices. It's easily the best Android phone to date, and when you couple the revamped OS, Verizon's killer network, and an industrial design straight from a gadget enthusiast's fever-dream, it makes for a powerful concoction. Ultimately, the DROID won't usurp the iPhone from the public's collective mindshare or convince casual users that they must switch to Android, but it will make a lot of serious geeks seriously happy -- and that's good enough for us.

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Sep 30, 2009

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A couple of excerpts from the Engadget review:

1. We did notice, however, that paging through homescreens on the the DROID actually seemed somewhat stuttery; odd, considering this phone is certainly better equipped than most Android devices to handle pixel pushing. Pulling down the window shade notification area also seemed less than optimal. We don't know if this was due to the screen resolution being jacked up, or just a software quirk, but it was mildly disheartening -- especially considering that the rest of the phone's performance seemed extra snappy to us.

2. First off, the camera is painfully slow to focus and snap pictures -- and when it does, the results can be unpredictable. Strangely, the lens seems to be able to take pretty sharp macro photos (it's even a setting in the camera app), but it struggled with getting adjusted to close subjects, even in broad daylight.

3. Instead, you can view your Gmail accounts separately (not in a single stream, but in one place), and your other accounts can be blended in the "Combined Inbox" view. Not exactly a perfect implementation for those of us with both Exchange and Google accounts, but certainly a solution light years beyond what previous versions of Android were offering. Another minor niggle: deleting an email now takes you to the next email in your inbox rather than bumping you back out to the list of emails, as it did in 1.5 and 1.6. We preferred the old functionality, though we imagine some will prefer the new as well.

4. A few of the obvious spots include the music player, which is quite frankly a mess; not only is the navigation poorly thought out, but the application is just straight-up ugly. It's not easy on the eyes, and not much fun to use either. The same goes for the phone app -- the remnants of a hastily thrown together interface are plain here, and the functionality of the phone itself gave us some issues. Often the screen was confused or unresponsive during calls, as if the hardware and software weren't communicating with each other properly. It seems obvious to us that some portions of Android need a serious, ground-up reworking... but they don't get them here. Another annoyance was the home screen -- unlike with HTC's tweaks (or even Motorola's BLUR), you only get three screens for icons and widgets. Furthermore, the DROID doesn't come equipped with even the most basic widgets you see in most new builds, like weather. The weird thing is that there is a weather app in the dock display, but no way to access the application in standard phone mode.

Additionally, some third-party (and even some first-party) software seems unable to deal with the DROID's new resolution. There are bitmaps that look upscaled and jagged, such as the attachment icon in Gmail. The game Robo Defense seemed to play slower than it did on the Hero, which was a bit of a surprise, though it has been updated to support the new resolution. None of these problems are show stoppers, but it points to a disconnect between where Google is at versus its developers. There is catch-up to be played.

Me: Good observations from Engadget. Which of these items is most likely to be a concern for users? Media player, not an issue for me. Email integration, not an issue for me. Camera lagginess/slow shutter speed - maybe.

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Sep 30, 2009

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The Engadget update was very insightful. We knew since the Boy Genius first mentioned it about two weeks ago that the keyboard was going to have issues. The question becomes can we work around the keyboard issue?

You shouldn't have to feel like you're settling for something less than your standard when committing to buy a device and be under contract for two years (or at least 12 months until the annual upgrade). Looks like the Droid is not meant for mainstream consumers like the iPhone is. Rather, geeky tech junkies.

It's hard not to like Moto's new robot. The Droid is a smashing smartphone that gives Verizon's lineup a serious lift. The hardware's look might be polarizing-- folks seem to either love it or hate it, but it's got a clean, modern and slim design. It's well made with one of the nicer slider mechanisms on a phone and that huge display makes you feel like you've got a mini computer disguised as a phone. Reception is excellent and data speeds and web page load times are likewise tops. Android could use some help in the friendly multimedia department with desktop media syncing and more supported video playback formats, but with a little effort the Droid is a very good music player and portable video player (drag them to a card yourself and convert videos to MPEG4 H.264 format first). Unless you have serious business needs that require BlackBerry push email or strong MS Exchange and Office support, the Droid is a top pick among Verizon's smartphones.

I wouldn't be too concerned by that last sentence. From the review:

OS 2.0 syncs with MS Exchange as well as Google. There's support for syncing to other sources, for example Facebook. MS Exchange syncs calendar and contacts and picks up Exchange email. Android 2.0 still has that strange separation between Gmail and other email; there's a Gmail icon and an Email icon. Likewise SMS/MMS Messaging lives in the Messaging application. If you sync your MS Exchange calendar, that data goes into a separate Corporate Calendar application. HTC's integration on the Hero is tighter and they added syncing over the cable to Outlook in Windows in their customized Android build-- sorry Droid, you're second best.

As a business phone, the Droid does a decent job thanks to MS Exchange support but it falls behind Windows Mobile since it lacks an integrated Office suite that can edit and create MS Office documents. You can buy Documents To Go for Android for $15 via the Market if you need to edit and create MS Office documents. Quickoffice 2.0 is included and it can view MS Word, Excel and PDF documents (but not Office 2007 format files ending with .docx or .xlsx). it renders documents beautifully, including those saved as email attachments. PDF documents look great with full support for images. If you want to carry documents on a card for reference, you'll need to install a free file manager from the Market since Quickoffice doesn't have an icon and thus there's no way to access documents.

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Sep 30, 2009

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From Mobile Crunch

Would I recommend it over the iPhone? Two thousand plus words later, you might be a bit sad to read: Nope. But I wouldn’t recommend the iPhone over the Droid, either – and that’s the Droid’s real win here. This is the very first phone in over two years that I would consider carrying for day-to-day use instead of my iPhone, but that doesn’t mean I would recommend it whole heartedly to everyone.

Each phone platform has such tremendous merits. Androids got better navigation; the iPhone has a better browser. Androids got unbeatable expandability and flexibility; the iPhone OS is mind-numbingly easy to use and the rate of growth and drive behind the App Store is simply explosive.

With Android 2.0, we’ve come to a very difficult crossroad. No longer can we recommend one handset over the other simply by its feature set. At this point, it’s all about the person who will be carrying it. For you, dearest TechCrunch Network reader: Yes, I’d probably recommend the Droid over an iPhone. Would I recommend it for your mother, father, or little sister? Nope. If you want a phone that just works and does damned near everything you could want and don’t mind Apple’s closed garden: by all means, get the iPhone. If you can handle a bit of complexity for the sake of flexibility and don’t mind having to tinker a bit: by all means, get the Droid. At this point, I honestly feel that either choice would make any sane person incredibly happy.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

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Jun 29, 2007

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I read this earlier. The media player (from how I read it, at least) wasn't so much an "issue", but rather, it was "blase" or "boring". There weren't complaints about the sound, and other write-up said it sounded pretty good.

Nothing is going to compare to the sound on the iPhone, but it is probably as good as the sound on the BB's, and has got to be better than my ancient Q!

I know many people carry their phones and then an iPod, but I want to avoid that at all costs...Hopefully, I will find that the sound is good enough to use while at the gym...

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I read this earlier. The media player (from how I read it, at least) wasn't so much an "issue", but rather, it was "blase" or "boring". There weren't complaints about the sound, and other write-up said it sounded pretty good.

Nothing is going to compare to the sound on the iPhone, but it is probably as good as the sound on the BB's, and has got to be better than my ancient Q!

I know many people carry their phones and then an iPod, but I want to avoid that at all costs...Hopefully, I will find that the sound is good enough to use while at the gym...

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I asked the same question to a Droid information source on Twitter. He indicated that the intent here was to make use of some of the 3rd party media players available via the App Market.

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So, what’s the wrap up, you’re asking right? We absolutely love the Motorola DROID. It’s a perfect storm between awesome hardware, great software, and a great network. That’s not to say it’s for everyone. It isn’t the most consumer-friendly device off the bat and it’s going to take some time and a whole bunch of improvements before we think Android can totally compete in the consumer space like others can, but Android is getting there slowly and this device in general couldn’t be a better way to show it off. There’s obviously some compromises like a pretty flat QWERTY keyboard and a little heft from the inclusion of metal as a design element, but the pros easily outweigh any cons if you’re on Verizon. And even if you’re not, it’s the most compelling alternative to the iPhone we’ve ever used. What’s important is that this phone exists and can easily fill a big void. It bridges a big gap and will be Verizon’s star device for the rest of the fourth quarter. Probably.

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Mar 27, 2007

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Is there any update on the battery on this device? and how long the battery lasts? that was my biggest issue with my windows mobile phones was the battery constently dying, and also can you turn off your cell signal like you can on windows mobile devices?

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Is there any update on the battery on this device? and how long the battery lasts? that was my biggest issue with my windows mobile phones was the battery constently dying, and also can you turn off your cell signal like you can on windows mobile devices?

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The reviews appear to be mixed. One review says on par with the iPhone. Another review suggests the battery will get you through the day with hard use, but should be recharged on a daily basis.